Benitez disappointed with below-par Reds

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez admitted his side were second best in the opening period of their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea.

'In the first half we were not playing well and giving the ball away. We gave it away too easily and did the wrong things,' he said.

'They were playing on the counter attack but we had more control in the second half. We know they are really good on the counter and we will have to be careful in the second leg.'

Looking forward to the second leg, Benitez added: 'You need to score just one and if we can score two as in the league (a 2-0 win in January) we will be there.

'We will have the support of our people, they know they are really important for us and I hope we will feel the atmosphere behind us.'

Benitez added: 'Drogba is really strong and difficult for defenders but I am disappointed because in the first half we didn't play well. The second half was better.

'We have stopped them scoring in the league and we will try to do it again. We need to win against a good team - a team that's good on the counter attack and that is difficult. We won 2-0 in January and that's the message for my players.'

But Benitez rejected Mourinho's claim that Liverpool would be resting some of their players against Portsmouth because the game does not mean anything to them.

He said: 'We play against Portsmouth but we will try to win. It is important for us to keep all the players fit.'